The Music Banter Members' Journals Monthly Update Thread

[Trollheart]

Note: Before we get going for this week, Aux-in has requested I no longer cover his journal, so it won't be in the update thread from today onwards. You know where to find him if you want to read his stuff.

And now, another announcement.

After our disastrous collaboration on the “Voyager “ journal some time back, Batty and I are at it again. Never know when to quit, eh? Taking a page (well, a whole bloody chapter really!) out of the book of Unknown Soldier and Anteater with their joint Toto journal, we're launching into the dark and murky world of Batman. Sort of. Read below for more.

Getting things underway this week is Anteater, with his entry on Eddie Money in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...r-journal.html

then that collaboration I spoke of above kicks off as http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ed-series.html and we start off with the two-parter Robin's Reckoning, with more to come soon.

http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ms-nes-ps.html has Uniracers and Weaponlord under the microscope, and Black Francis is also reviewing the debut self-titled album from Suburban Lawns in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...l-journey.html

and we have another new journal, this time http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...g-journal.html does exactly what it says on the tin, charting his progress through his filmmaking adventures. His first short, Final breath is up now. Check it out: this guy's got talent!

Movies about Waits? I'm there! Read all about it in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...nnerspace.html

and then pop down to http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...is-arcade.html, where he's pitting Terraria against Minecraft and also running through his plays of The Binding of Isaac.

There are first impressions of Wilco's new album in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...o-reviews.html

The Marillion discography has slowed down a little as I get diverted by other projects ((who else but Trollheart, right?) but there are two more this week in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...d-journal.html as we check out Radiation and Marillion.com. Finishing off the scores in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...m-reviews.html, if anyone's interested, and more Strontium Dog in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...d-2000-ad.html.

The hilariously named Heavy Pettin' are number twelve in Unknown Soldier's countdown for 1985 in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...y-history.html, while WASP take the eleventh spot, leaving the way clear for the top ten to begin next week.

I missed this out last week because I frankly hadn't had the time to read through Bulldog's journal, and to be honest I still haven't, but I do what I always do: I skim. And in taking a quick look through his journal over the course of, so far, nine pages, I'd have to say that it looks like he stuck at what he had intended to do and mostly achieved it. Like most of us, he did seem to lose interest or lack the time necessary to write full entries from time to time (quite often, in fact) but when he did write then his reviews certainly made up for the delay since the previous one. His journal is definitely worth checking out, though you will have to forage for it as it's somewhere on the fifth or sixth page (or you can just click here http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ouse-v-ii.html of course)

So as far as his mission statement, as it were, is concerned, it's a pretty clear case of


That's all we have time for this week, so until next Sunday,
Toodles!

[Trollheart]

A new month, and a new update thread. There's certainly been some interesting stuff happening, but the big news of course is the advent of

Yes, I know there are still two months to go, but you'd be surprised how fast they will go in, and today is the first day I sit down and really start researching, studying for and writing the third annual month given over entirely to Heavy Metal in my main journal. I'm hoping to make this the best yet, so if anyone wants to get involved, whether by writing something, making a suggestion or even joining in the fun via your journal, drop me a PM. Oh, and no poseurs please. Except me.

Well, after that shameless self-promotion, time to get on with this week's update.

Oh yeah, there are some new journals started this week. Read on...

Although http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...r-journal.html is another joint venture (no I don't know what they smoke; ask them!) between Anteater and Unknown Soldier, I hope the latter will understand if I continue to feature it under his partner's name. It's easier than changing each time one or the other posts, it's started under Anteater's name and more importantly, it means that unless Aaron A. Ardvaark starts a journal, this one should always be first, assuming it's updated that week. So I'm not calling it Anteater's journal alone, but I am featuring it under his name.

And after that rather long-winded explanation of my motives, it is in fact Unknown Soldier who writes this week, with an article on Angel's self-titled debut.

Another of our talented members, Antonio has one of his own songs, a new one, in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ng-ground.html, so check it out

then get your crimefighting kick as http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ed-series.html. Finishing off with the second part of “Robin's Reckoning” and we'll be moving swiftly on to a Joker episode real soon, so stay tuned, Batfans!

http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...es-patrol.html have been on something of a hiatus recently, but he tells us that's because he's been involved in helping to restructure the US Army! Good excuse, man, good excuse!

Coming near its end now, http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...63-2015-a.html is up to 2012, where we find him listening to the likes of Swans, Kiss the Anus of a Black Cat, Aesop Rock and Death Grips.

Innerspaceboy is getting to grips with metamorphosing from a reclusive oracle into a taxpaying, productive member of society, even going so far as to buy a house! The things marriage does to ya, huh? Read all about it in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...nnerspace.html

Team Fortress 2 is Ki's current addiction down at http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...is-arcade.html --- try getting him away from that one!

New journal this week from Occulthawk, his first effort I believe, as he opens the doors of http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...cking-out.html and starts off with Daniel Menche, John Wiese and Hal Hutchinson.

Going a slight little bit off the beaten path, Oriphiel presents the second and third parts of “Sam”, his side story to http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...rgy-story.html

A little way behind Goofle is http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ar-1965-a.html, where he's just hitting 2006, with albums from The Knife, Melvins, Band of Horses and The Mars Volta among others.

Without question, the most momentous and surely most impossible task undertaken by any MB member --- more than Urban's reviews of every “NOW” album ever, more than my history of progressive rock, more even than Unknown Soldier's seminal “Pounding Decibels”, TechnicLePanther presents http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ory-music.html. The best of luck to him. This is going to have a lot of people interested. And as if that weren't enough, he also has http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...-pop-flop.html, where you can vote on how good or crappy the song he posts is.

As for me, well we're getting close to finishing the Marillion discography in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...d-journal.html, with Arachnophobia. Expect it all to wrap up about midweek. Meanwhile, down at http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...-emporium.html we've got a new series in “The Simpsons at the Movies” as well as the fifth in the Star Trek movie franchise, The Final Frontier, as the USS Nerdtopia continues its maiden voyage.

(Note: I'll do my best to keep my journals up to date, but over the next few months I'm going to be immersed in Metal in readiness for the Big Event, so I can't promise they'll always up updated. I'll certainly do what I can to make sure they're not neglected though.)

Stalwart of the journal section, Unknown Soldier's http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...y-history.html hits the top ten for 1985, kicking off with Warrant at number ten.

Oh, get down off that chair and take the noose from around your neck son! We've all been there, but your troubles are over, as YorkeDaddy is back on the case and the latest instalment of http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...tasy-epic.html takes us back in time four years to the heyday of a certain mod who is no longer with us. If you're not reading the greatest journal ever created in the history of Music Banter, then you had better be dead. Or in jail. And if you're in jail, BRRRRREAK OUUUUTTTTT!
(Disclaimer: Trollheart does not condone, endorse or encourage the forced exit of legally incarcerated felons from their prisons. The late Phil Lynott, on the other hand, did...)


For sheer audacity (no, not the music program!) and ambition, this week's

has to go to TechnicLePanther, who begins his journal this week thus:

Originally Posted by TechnicLePanther

Introduction

Music. Probably what you're reading this about. Wikipedia defines it as "an art form whose medium is sound and silence". I believe this is the most accurate description of music. After all, music is extremely diverse, and at its extremes, music is pretty much just sound and silence. However, music also incorporates simple concepts such as harmony, melody, and rhythm. Usually, music is broken up into segments. Songs, compositions, albums, and the like are all ways of separating one piece of music from another.

Music goes back and forth a lot. A song from 2012 may end up sound like one from 1942. A song from 1167 may sound peculiarly like a song from 2015. The composer may not intend to be "remaking" someone else's work, but instead it is a strange coincidence. However, there are also some times when one person actually remakes another's work. This is usually called a "cover". The goal of this handy-dandy guide to the history of music is to stay away from jumping around as much as possible. As I move through this guide, I will also attempt to move through time, starting with the earliest music, and ending today.

I will also be operating under the assumption that anything that anyone calls music, is music, because I have no time to deliberate what is and isn't. Of course, some things will certainly be covered more thoroughly than others, but I will attempt to match the significance of a particular person, genre, or era to the amount of time spent covering it.

Now that the ground rules have been laid, I believe it's safe for me to begin my tale.

Expect the next part within the week.

Okay, so now it's time for another look at a journal's opening post, the one made

My Random Generator sparkles, hisses and squeals at me (well, no it doesn't, but it's so much more dramatic, no? No? Have it your way then!) and delivers into my trembling hands the number
116
I check along the pages of the journals section and see that on page 6, sixteen lines down is this gem, from http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...epe-kalle.html
We all know Franco. Some of us love him, some of us hate him, but one thing I think nobody expected was that he would take his eyes off booty and stop listening to Pepe Kalle long enough to actually start a journal. But he did, and back in April of 2014, the 11th to be precise, his journal opened with these immortal words:

Originally Posted by Franco Pepe Kalle

You know I am a crazy man. Well I am doing a music journal for all music. Not just African. I already have one for African music. Here will be all music I enjoy and like myself.

I hope I can share them soon.

Did he live up to that promise? Well, I'll tell you next week.

Spoiler for In case you can't wait...:

He didn't of course.

So that's it for this update. In a week that has seen the inception of one of the biggest and most ambitious projects ever attempted by an MB member, as well as the return of YorkeDaddy and Fiddler, it's been a busy one. Don't forget to let me know if you want to help out with Metal Month III.

Till next week,
Toodles!

[TechnicLePanther]

Originally Posted by Trollheart

Without question, the most momentous and surely most impossible task undertaken by any MB member --- more than Urban's reviews of every “NOW” album ever, more than my history of progressive rock, more even than Unknown Soldier's seminal “Pounding Decibels”, TechnicLePanther presents http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ory-music.html. The best of luck to him. This is going to have a lot of people interested. And as if that weren't enough, he also has http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...-pop-flop.html, where you can vote on how good or crappy the song he posts is.

For sheer audacity (no, not the music program!) and ambition, this week's

has to go to TechnicLePanther, who begins his journal this week thus:


In a week that has seen the inception of one of the biggest and most ambitious projects ever attempted by an MB member.

Ugh, now I have expectations. Thanks a lot, Trolly.

Actually, it's a lot of fun writing it so far. Thankfully, the beginning of music history isn't impossibly complicated.

[The Batlord]

Too bad TH can't nominate himself, or else our journal would have gotten Journal of the Week.

[Trollheart]

Originally Posted by The Batlord

Too bad TH can't nominate himself, or else our journal would have gotten Journal of the Week.

There is no award for Journal of the Week.
Yet.

[The Batlord]

Whatever. Post of the Week.

[Trollheart]

It's a case of 1001 Albums overload this week, as one journal gets the boot, replaced by another and even another new one starts up. We also welcome back an old friend we haven't seen for, oh, yonks! It's all below, so let's get cracking.

And we start off with two Batlords for the price of one (is that a bargain or a threat?) to get us underway this week. Well, sort of. He opens with another chance to http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...-oblivion.html as he explores Afterlife with Archie, then he and I team up again as http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ed-series.html, where we lavish praise on “Joker's Favor”, the latest in our list of episodes watched and discussed.

The first of those 1001 albums journals comes from our man bob, who presents http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...s-edition.html. Now, a journal from bob is of course always a reason to get excited and anticipate greatness (which so far has never disappointed) but this is something special, so check it out as he lets you into a little corner or his world. So far, Dangermouse and Sparklehorse, Lana del Rey and Dwarves. Surely only a taster. I have a feeling the views on this one are going to go up, up, up real soon!

Deadchannel is asking “Where did the Dead Tapes go?” If you want to find out what he's on about, check out http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...g-journal.html

What's happening in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...nnerspace.html this week? As usual, you know it's going to be an interesting read. So settle back and let articles like “Journey inward to jazz”, “Electronic meditation” and “A bit of rope for the web” wash over you. And then thank Innerspaceboy by commenting in his journal. It's the least you can do, now isn't it?

It's been a long, long, long time since we got another episode in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...sible-man.html --- almost exactly a year, in fact --- so pull up a chair and lose yourself in Janszoon's incredible prose. Even if the music --- Jimmy Radway and the Fe Me Time All Stars --- doesn't grab you, I'm willing to bet his writing will. Should be a contender for Journal of the Year, if only he updated more frequently, as it seems to get forgotten about.

Lots going on too down at http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...is-arcade.html, where he's rediscovering Wolfenstein (kind of), with more Isaac and a rant about weapons in Team Fortress 2.

More http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...cking-out.html from Occulthawk with Carle Santos

while we're up to the final chapters in Sam's side story as Oriphiel then returns to the main http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...rgy-story.html, now hitting chapter eighteen!

How better to get motivated to write new music than to listen to the gems you already created? http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...listening.html is the place to be!

http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ory-music.html begins in earnest as TechnicLePanther asks that question that Man has asked since he first heard sounds: what is music, and where did it start? Also with added animals.

Later than expected (Metal Month III is starting to take over my life, such as it is!) we finish up the Marillion discography in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...d-journal.html with Marbles. No, it's not their last album, but all the ones following it have been reviewed by me previously. Then there's another 1001 albums link. The original journal I attempted, http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...e-you-die.html has been retired, as frankly I'm just not interested enough in the generally low-grade and boring albums that are coming out of this list. So instead, I'm kicking off a new journal, which may or may not feature collaboration from Batty --- I'm still waiting for his response at this time --- http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...e-you-die.html. This covers the list started by me some time ago in the Rock and Metal subforum, and which has been added to by other members and now stands at around 110. It's only opening this week, so the first album hasn't even been reviewed, but that will happen by this time next week.

And into the top ten with Exciter at number nine as http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...y-history.html hurtles through 1985.


As mentioned, we haven't seen Janszoon around here for about a year, at least not writing in his journal, so it's great to see him return to continue the story of the gentleman who is hard, nay impossible to see, and we hope it will herald more regular updates. Welcome back, Jansz!

I doubt anyone will be really surprised --- even if you didn't read the spoiler last week --- when I say that probably with the best of intentions, Franco's journal petered out after a mere five months comprising fifteen entries. His last effort was in September of 2014, since when nothing has been heard of him. So although his heart was surely in the right place, I assume booty took more of his attention and he let his journal slide, where it now languishes in the depths of page six, heading for page seven. Sorry Franco my man but it's a case of


And that's it for this week. Back with more next Sunday, when we'll do it all over again!
Till then,
Toodles!

[YorkeDaddy]

Surprised you missed the most recent Music Banterus chapter :O

[Unknown Soldier]

You forgot the Foreigner entry in the AOR journal

[Trollheart]

Originally Posted by YorkeDaddy

Surprised you missed the most recent Music Banterus chapter :O

Originally Posted by Unknown Soldier

You forgot the Foreigner entry in the AOR journal

Sorry guys. I ****ed up. And I can't edit the entry as it has to be approved so I can't change it. I honestly thought I had done the Foreigner one but obviously not, and I got mixed up with YD's one, thinking that was the same as last week's entry.

Man, I need a holiday. And a hot blonde.